Burl Ives — The Sailors Grave

Our barque was far, far from the land When the fairest of our gallant band Grew deadly pale, and pined away Like the twilight dawn of an autumn day We watched him through long hours of pain Our fears were great, our hopes in vain Death's call he heard; made no alarm He smiled and died in his messmate's arms We had no costly winding sheet We placed two round shot at his feet And in his hammock, snug and sound: A kingly shroud like marble bound We proudly decked his funeral vest With a starry flag upon his breast We gave him this as a badge so brave Thеn he was fit for a sailor's grave Our voices brokе, our hearts turned weak And tears were seen on the brownest cheek A quiver played on the lip of pride As we lowered him down our ship's dark side A splash, a plunge and our task was o'er And the billows rolled as they rolled before And many a prayer said to the wave That lowered him in a sailor's grave